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“For sure” is not as predictable as it used to be, that’s for sure! 2020 threw all of us for a loop and as we come into 2021, we hope that things will change for the better. However, I believe normalcy may be slower than we had hoped. As we all attempt to navigate our lives to get back to pre-pandemic status and the recent post winter storm chaos, we can’t help but think of
By: Barbara Marrou, Associate Why is it necessary to prepare a budget? Isn’t that the thing that takes an enormous amount of time and effort to make, and then is just forgotten until next year? If this is how you feel, then you are not using your budget to its advantage. A nonprofit’s impact is determined by its ability to make good on its promise to deliver services to its clients. A budget highlights what
By: Marion Lee, CFRE Kenneth Burnett in his book, Relationship Fundraising, said, “Fundraisers are members of a profession that is one of the world’s most powerful catalysts for change.” Good fundraisers raise money, great fundraisers make caring service possible by developing processes through the lens of relationship or donor-centered fundraising. They raise life-long friends for an organization. That friendship begins with an annual fund process-the cornerstone of an organization’s fundraising strategy. Primarily considered unrestricted funds,
By: Hunter Atherton and Aubrey Parke Lee+ Associates College Interns In 2000, the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act was enacted beginning the New Markets Tax Credit program. This allowed investors to “receive a credit against federal income taxes for making Qualified Equity Investments (QEIs) in qualified Community Development Entities (CDEs)” as defined by the IRS. In turn, those investments would be used to enhance the quality of life for those living and working in low-income
By Priscilla Guajardo Cortez I recently attended a nonprofit panel discussion titled Better Boards presented by NXTBoard. An Austin-based company, NXTBoard provides technology-based solutions to help governing boards achieve success. The first question posed immediately following the presentation was “How big should my nonprofit board be?” The response of the expert panel: “Well, it depends.” According to BoardSource’s “Leading with Intent: 2017 National Index of Nonprofit Board Practices,” board size has steadily declined over the past
By Alexis De Sela Much has been written and discussed about the critical roles of, and relationship between, the Board of Directors and Executive Director of a nonprofit, and I don’t want to fall into redundancy with this article. However, as we’ve worked closely with organizations in their capacity building efforts, we have seen examples of how this critical co-leadership relationship can strengthen or harm a nonprofit. In this article I would like to clarify
By Marion Lee, CFRE James M. Greenfield is, for me, the father of modern fundraising processes. In 1991, Greenfield published Fund Raising: Evaluating and Managing the Fund Development Process which is a must read for anyone entering nonprofit work. Greenfield began his career in 1962 working mostly within university and hospital systems and managed to publish at least four books on nonprofit fundraising. Most of his work is timeless and even after our 30 + years in
By Covita Moroney, CFRE A story… Energized by a fresh, inspiring vision and spot-on strategic goals (carefully crafted at the amazing two-day Board / Staff planning retreat) you hit the office filled with fire-in-the-belly. Determined to bring to life the wonderful vision (after you first check email and voice messages, return a few calls, and sort through the mail) you plan to gather staff and announce the implementation of the organization’s new three-Year Strategic Plan!
By Joyce Penland, CFRE You’ve no doubt heard the adage about the frequency of capital campaigns: You’ve just completed one, you’re in the middle of one, or you’re planning the next one. Wherever your organization finds itself, it’s always good to examine your team’s readiness to undertake a significant capital campaign. Here are some of “elements of success” that we at Lee+ Associates consider when working with clients that are considering a capital campaign. This
By Marion Lee, CFRE A thief has three characteristics: first a thief is not recognized by you as being a thief; second, he robs you of what you have without your realizing it at the time; and third, a thief leaves you feeling foolish after you have been robbed. –N. Ravichandran In this article, I ‘d like to explore why theft happens, how to work smarter to prevent this happening in your nonprofit and how